respectable

1 of 3

adjective

re·​spect·​able ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl 

1

: worthy of respect : estimable

2

: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper

3

a

: fair in size or quantity

a respectable amount

b

: moderately good : tolerable

a respectable performance

4

: fit to be seen : presentable

respectable clothes

respectability

ri-ˌspek-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

respectableness

ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl-nəs 

noun

respectably

ri-ˈspek-tə-blē 

adverb

respectable

2 of 3

noun (1)

: a respectable person

respectability

3 of 3

noun (2)

re·​spect·​abil·​i·​ty -ˌspektəˈbilətē 

-lətē, 

-i

1

a

: the quality or state of being respectable

b

: the status of being respectable : consequence

2

a

: a respectable person : respectable persons

the respectability of the town

b

: a respectable convention : decency

those little respectabilities that make group life bearable

Synonyms of respectable

Adjective

• respected
• prestigious
• reputable
• reputed
• distinguished
• esteemed
• estimable

Examples of respectable in a Sentence

Adjective

She comes from a very respectable family.

no respectable dietician would advise people to eat just one kind of food

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Those numbers were respectable but not impressive at the time, and impressed even less a few decades later. — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 27 June 2026

Of all my relations, my aunt Juana, a very respectable and wealthy lady, had always been the most attached to me. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026

The guess here is if Cisse has a respectable training camp, Green Bay will live with some early growing pains and sink or swim with him from the jump. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026

But fraud prevention has become the most respectable banner in Washington, and a great deal now travels under it that has nothing to do with bots and everything to do with limiting who gets in. — Caroline Casagrande, Fortune, 6 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1603, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (1)

1770, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for respectable

• collectable
• collectible
• correctable
• delectable
• detectable
• expectable
• injectable
• protectable
• resectable
• selectable
• uncollectible
• undetectable

Kids Definition

respectable

adjective

re·​spect·​able

ri-ˈspek-tə-bəl

1

: worthy of respect : reputable

2

: decent or correct in character or behavior : proper

respectable people

3

: fair in size, quality, or quantity

a respectable amount of money

4

: fit to be seen : presentable

respectable clothes

respectability

-ˌspek-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē

noun

respectableness

-ˈspek-tə-bəl-nəs

noun

respectably

-blē

adverb